#209 Roundtable Wrap-Up- Feat. Marcos Torres, Marcos Lopez, Paulo Stagnaro, Camilo Molina & Javier Raez!
This week’s episode is sponsored by Dream Cymbals.
The guests on this week’s episode are all friends of the show and have been on previously a couple of times, in addition to a previous roundtable discussion. Here are their previous episodes.
Marcos Torres - Former host - Episode 1
Marcos Lopez - Episode 7 - Episode 119
Paulo Stagnaro - Episode 4 - Episode 85
Camilo Molina - Episode 21 - Episode 24
Javier Raez - Episode 6 - Episode 119
The music at the beginning is Acércate by Jeremy Bosch featuring some of the aforementioned musicians.
Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. Damon talks about those holidays and also explains Boxing Day and Kwanzaa. He also talks about the “Christmas Star” of Jupiter and Saturn aligning.
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to (friend of the show) Marc Quiñones. A friend in real life and a continuous inspiration to us all! The song featured is a tribute to the Allman Brothers, the band Marc was a member of. Here are the credits for the featured video.
Credits: All Percussion and Vocals: Marc Quiñones Bass: Oteil Burbridge Guitar: Derek Trucks Mixed by Santiago Cabriles (Top Studio Miami) Mastered by: German Landaeta (Phaseland Studios) Recorded at: Unity One Studio (Miami) & Derek Truck & Susan Tedeschi Home Studio (Jacksonville) Produced by Marc Quiñones and Tony Succar Video by Alberto Fernandez
Gig Alert
January 2nd and 3rd, 2021 is the World Vibes Congress. That is a two day, Live-Streamed event featuring performances, clinics, discussions, and live listening sessions from the world’s best vibraphonists.
Social Soundbyte
The Pixar movie Soul came out on Disney +, and it was awesome. It had great music and animation to go with the wonderful storyline. The music had a legendary team of consultants and real musicians playing it
There was also some of the foley work done by (friend of the show) John Roesch. If you don’t know what a foley artist is, check out his episode.
Music News
The $600 second stimulus checks allocated in the recently signed $2.3 trillion spending and relief package could increase to $2,000, depending upon whether a new bill passes in the Senate. -Article
The song leading into the roundtable discussion is one of the lessons with backing loops from Conga Chops (dot) com.
DnP Roundtable Wrap-Up
The interview starts with Damon mentioning the shout-out that Marc Quiñones and Bobby Allende gave to some of the featured guests on this interview.
The guys asked for pictures of Damon’s Christmas prime rib. The rub on the meat is as follows:
1-2/3 Cup of Kosher Salt
1-2/3 Cup of Coarse Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Granulated Garlic
1/4 Cup Granulated Onion
Cooked on a smoker at 225 degrees for about 30min per pound.
Garlic mashed potatoes (red creamer potatoes, salt, pepper, butter, milk, garlic)
Grilled asparagus (olive oil, salt, pepper)
Used the au jus (not pictured) to drizzle.
There are some points in the Afro-centric timeline of music (focusing on the percussion) when the music changed on its way from West Africa to what we know as NYC mambo/salsa. Damon starts off with pointing out Batacumbele. Marcos (Torres) mentions Jose Luis "Changuito" Quintana from the early 70’s with the group Los Van Van. Marcos (Torres and Lopez) talk about Changuito playing a hybrid set-up with a drum pad.
Marcos Lopez talks about the Cachao Descargas released in 1957. Paulo brings up Arsenio Rodriguez in the genre of son and the introduction of the conga instead of bongos.
Arsenio Rodriguez is talked about more in this documentary below (starting at 37.22)
Marcos (Torres) has recently been getting into Carlos “Patato” Valdés Galán when he played with Sexteto Matancero. Marcos has been listening to that group in the 1940’s, but their first recording was in 1928.
Camilo brings up Eddie Palmieri and the first La Perfecta album from 1962 and Javier brings up the The Alegre All Stars with Charlie Palmieri. Marcos (Torres) brings up when Nicky Marrero played both Timbales and Bongo at the same time with Charlie Palmieri.
Paulo mentions the band Orquesta la Revé de Cuba from the 1950s that mixed Trombones and Violins.
The guys started talking about tuning and refer to a story that (friend of the show) Johnny “Dandy” Rodriguez told during his episode.
Camilo quickly mentions the DLG sound with Marc and Bobby.
Damon brings up the pending stimulus package.
Paulo brings up the Save Our Stages Act. After months of back-and-forth talks (and ample deadlock), congressional leaders reached an agreement late yesterday on a new economic-relief package. Included in the almost $900 billion bill – which Congress is reportedly preparing to vote on today – is a $600 second stimulus check, as well as $15 billion for indie venues and theaters, a $300-per-week federal unemployment bonus, $25 billion in rent assistance, and more with the help of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). -Article
Damon brings up the grassroots organization called Be An Arts Hero is an intersectional grassroots campaign comprised of Arts & Culture workers, Unions, and institutions in the United States pushing the Senate to allocate proportionate relief to the Arts & Culture sector of the American economy. They have a letter to the Senators that you can sign to aid in getting support to the arts sector of the economy.
Marcos (Torres) asks what has been working for people during this time since there aren’t any tours and live in person concerts. There are varying opinions on the live-streams and pre-recorded concerts.
Damon talks about the drive-in concerts and pods as ways to get back to the enjoying live music and entertainment.
Camilo talks about the smaller venues and how they might have some trouble. Also about the TV show band issues regarding fair wages and more.
Damon brings up the Artist Rights Alliance and the “Artist Bill of Rights” That they’re proposing.
The Right to Control Our Work – the ability to decide when and on what terms our creative works are performed, reproduced, or distributed, and the ability to assign these rights to partners of our choosing.
The Right to Economic and Artistic Freedom – including the right to fair market value compensation for creative work on all platforms at all times and a music ecosystem that incentivizes creativity, breadth and variety, diversity among creators and styles, and that nurtures and supports the next generation of artists.
The Right to Attribution and Acknowledgment – including ready access for all audiences on all platforms to credit information and liner note materials.
The Right to a Music Community – including fully funded public arts education and support for non-commercial performances and works so that creative opportunities, expression, and connection are open to all and society is broadly enriched by as many forms of art and as much artistic participation as possible.
The Right to Competitive Platforms – including channels of distribution, communication, and social media that are competitive, transparent, accurate, secure, open to all on non-discriminatory terms, protective of user privacy, and free of industrial scale piracy and any other commercialized theft of our work.
The Right to Information and Platform Transparency – including effective audit and transparency rights with respect to all platforms, services, and companies that use, distribute, or monetize our work.
The Right to Political Participation – including the ability to advocate for the recognition and protection of all these rights without retribution, blacklisting, or retaliation from distribution channels, platforms, or partners; and the elimination of restrictions on organizing and collective action in support of such advocacy.
Marcos (Torres) talks about some behind the scenes content as well as monetizing collaboration. Damon brings up the album Charlie Hunter and Carter McLean put out (The album is ONLY available directly from Carter. To order, email: cartermclean@gmail.com.)
Javier was pleasantly surprised by musicians learning how to adapt and record from home.
Paulo brings up that the musicians union could be better about helping to enforce living wages to get more people to sign up for the union. Marcos (Lopez) brings up the morals and ethics part of playing gigs and accepting work.
Paulo brings up how a lack of music education is directly related to a lack of respect for arts workers. Marcos (Torres) talks about using our power in spending and voting to help steer decisions in our favor.
Coming in the new year, Conga Chops is adding lessons on Bongos done by Marcos Torres. They already have Conga lessons by Paulo and Timbale lessons by Marcos Lopez.
Camilo, Marcos and Marcos have been working with Latin Percussion to come up with the Barrilles de bomba. Look for the drums at (virtual) NAMM in 2021. Shout-out to Puerto Rico!!!
Shout-out to Martin Cohen who was recognized by NAMM again this year. You can get his autobiography out now. This book features 360 pages of incredible historic performances and intimate photos of Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, Fania All Stars, Celia Cruz, Dizzy Gillespie, Carlos Santana and tons of history.
Javier talks about the collaboration efforts in the works for the Congahead website and YouTube channel.
Marcos (Torres) talks about the albums he’s been working on (including his own) as well as the Sauce for the Culture content.
Everyone (except Paulo-Celtics) is a Knicks fan and understands the pain and perpetual torture of supporting that team.
Thanks for the first 4 years! Happy New Year!!!!
